SENSITIZATION
Vision for the blind runs sensitization programmes
on disability issues on the community radio stations and television
in Sierra Leone. Through these programmes, many sierra Leoneans and
other nationals learn how to cope with a disable person, blind in particular
and integrate that disable person into the mainstream life on the community.
Through these programmes also, vision for the
blind gave succeeded to develop the minds and confidence of many blind
people especially those who get blind at adulthood. As a follow-up to
the sensitization programmes, an outreach team form the office of vision
for the blind makes periodic visits into the villages to identify new
cases of blind vist9ms and conducts a one-to-one sensitization programme.
These have also gone a long way to change the negative perceptions of
local communities against the blind.
SERVICE
PROVISION
In our service provision package, the organization
proves canceling and rehabilitation for newly blind victims especially
adults. We teach them how to read and write Braille and typing which
equipped them into mainstream service. We also go into the villages
to identify blind children whose parents have not sent them to school
due to either poverty we send hem to the blind schools in Makeni or
Freetown and then find supports from our well wishers at home and abroad
for these children. At present we have about forty of these cases.
We also give some voluntary teaching service
to the Bombali School for the blind. This school is not supported by
the government of Sierra Leone.
LOBBYING
Since our inception, Vision for the Blind have
collaborated with other DPO’s to engage the government of sierra
Leone and other decision makers to make some positive social reforms
on those laws or issues that stigmatizes or discriminates against the
blind or disabled.
One such case has being the establishment of
the national disability act that safeguard the rights of the disabled
in all spheres of life. E.g. Right to employment, education and health
care. Also the right of freedom of association and speech and most essentially
the right to shelter and to live a dignified life as prescribed in the
UN Convention of persons with disability. The provision of a national
disability by line governments and ministries has also being other issues
of concentration for Vision for the Blind.
SKILLS
TRAINING
Vision for the blind runs a skills training
programme for blind adults in Makeni. In this project, blind adults
are trained in weaving; hand crafts and soap make as to make them self-reliant.
The first batch of trainees completed their training and was graduated
on 9th of December 2006. they were given start-up kits so that they
would go out into the world and beself employed.
